The October Chantry
The October Chantry is a large multi-leveled mansion occupying 11 acres on the westernmost point of Central City, laying just before the causeway that leads across the Bay to Cutter's End. Once a Jewish Orthodox church, the mansion was purchased by Erich Rein, Master of The Order of Hermes, in 1902. It has then since passed down the generations until willed to Dame Samantha is 1994. The Dame turned the manor into a private school, the Wainbridge Institute of Higher Learning, which is open to students only by invitation, naturally. The exterior of the mansion is light grey stone in the Victorian style, festooned with gargoyles and angel statuary. A set of marble steps, flanked on each size by life-size gryphon statues, leads up to a simply immense arched wooden doorway. Inside The inside of the manor features marble flooring, tremendous works of art including paintings and objects, and bright red rugs. The foyer of the manor features multiple couch seats and wall holders offering pamphlets of the school's public facade for the curious. Once past the foyer one enters the large and plush family room which features plenty of comfortable seating, a large dining table for taking meals, and an impressive modern entertainment system. Each member of the Chantry is given their own personal room measuring 600 square feet and complete with a shower and toilet as well as a small personal kitchen. The rest of the house is designed to cater to the mission of the Chantry and boasts rooms where mages can research, study, learn, and teach. There are an abundance of small classrooms, each one designed for the specifics and necessities of each of the nine Traditions. In addition the Chantry boasts a grand library, an engineering/chemistry lab, a hospital ward, a dojo, a few sun rooms for quiet meditations or reading, a lounge with the latest gaming systems, and a garage holding the Chantry's fleet of vehicles: Five motorcycles, two nondescript SUVs each capable of seating eight, a pair of Maserati's, and Dam Samantha's personal limo. The New Family Covenant The following Mages make up the New Family Covenant, the cabal of Tradition mages that live and (sometimes) work in the chantry. Dame Samantha Wainbridge The Chantry owner and Master, Dame Samantha is a native of London whom arrived to take over the Chantry from her predecessor, Master Adrien Walsh, in 1930. Though Dame Samantha appears to be a woman of thirty, she is in reality over 300 years old and sustains herself with Life and Time rotes. She never leaves the Chantry, as doing so would subject her immediately to Paradox. Dame Samantha is incredibly knowledgeable about all of the Traditions, and has mentored numerous mages from a variety of Trads, not just her own. She is thoughtful and attentive, wise and brave, and chooses to judge a person by their actions; not by their Traditions. She is stubborn and nearly immovable when she chooses a course of action, and although she often fails to display any kind of sense of humor she does posses a quick, dry wit that excels in breaking tension. Among the Traditions Dame Samantha is recognized as a Master in the Order of Hermes and commands great respect even from those whom profess to not liking her. Even the Technocracy acknowledges the Dame, and has listed her as the Number One Reality Deviant and threat to October City. Nature: Adjudicator Demeanor: Pedagouge Essence: Dynamic Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma 4 (diplomacy) Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 4 (Alert), Intelligence 4 (Genius), Wits 3 Talents: Alertness 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Leadership 4 (Respectable), Subterfuge 3 Skills: Crafts 3, Etiquette 4 (Miss Manners), Meditation 3 Knowledges: Academics 4 (College Professor), Cosmology 4 (Outer Realms), Enigmas 3, Investigation 2, Linguistics 5 (Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Spanish), Medicine 2, Occult 5 (The Traditions), Science 2 Spheres: Correspondence 3, Entropy 3, Forces 5, Life 3, Mind 2, Prime 3, Spirit 4, Time 3 Backgrounds: Contacts 4, Resources 5, Arcane 4, Chantry 4, Sanctum 4 Arete: 8 '''Willpower '''9 Pandora Pandora is the steward of the Chantry, charged with maintaining the chantry building and grounds. Pandora is a listener, not a talker. She has been with Dame Sam since 1985, when she was fifteen years old. She never discusses her history, how she Awakened or joined the Akashic Brotherhood; indeed she never even talks about how Dame Samantha found her in the first place. She has a number of hobbies, and finds both long trousers and being touched equally distasteful. As the Chantry caretaker Pandora is well versed in a wide variety of domestic skills: gardening, cooking, cleaning, mechanical repairs, basic first aid, carpentry, and record-keeping. She holds no grudges when asked to perform a duty or an errand, that's her job after all. Pandora Kirinsuri, Akashic Brotherhood Nature: Director Demeanor: Loner Essence: Dynamic Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4 (Agile), Stamina 4 (Stalwart), Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 4 (ever-alert), Intelligence 3, Wits 3 Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4 (acrobatics), Brawl 4 (Leopard-Fist Kung fu) Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Crafts 3, Do 4 (Master), Drive 3, Meditation 3, Melee 4 (kung fu weapons), Stealth 3, Academics 2, Investigation 2, Linguistics 2 (English, German, Japanese native) Spheres: Correspondence 2, Forces 3, Life 3, Matter 2, Mind 4, Prime 3 Backgrounds: Chantry 4, Resources 2, Contacts 3, Arcane 4 Arete: 6 Willpower: 8 '''Romana lights a candle and sits with the old woman, holding her hand and cheerfully enjoying half a dozen of Ms. Alba's stories of the exploits and accomplishments of her children and grand-children. Discovering that Ms. Alba is a devout Catholic Romana begins to speak to her gentle and compassionately about the wonders Ms. Alba will find in Heaven, of how joyous it will be to bask in the light of God, and the peace of being with God eternally and taps the rote. Ms. Alba, now overcome with a sense of assurance and serenity and looking forward to laying eyes on her Savior finds herself not only no longer afraid of death but longing for it. She closes her eyes and smiles and then peacefully and serenely passes away. '' The Mentors As the Mages of the New Family Covenant that permanently reside in the Chantry each have a personal Tradition mentor, those mentors will also live in the Chantry from time to time; sometimes staying for just a few days and sometimes for weeks at a time depending on the needs and schedule of their student. Of these mentors only Romana Brooks is part of the NFC so she is listed above rather than in this section.